PowerPoint Presentation
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Using the TEACHING PYRAMID INFANT–TODDLER OBSERVATION SCALE for INFANT–TODDLER CLASSROOMS
Webinar
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Presenters
- Kathryn Bigelow, Ph.D.
- Judith Carta, Ph.D.
- Dwight Irvin, Ph.D.
- Mary Louise Hemmeter, Ph.D.
About the TPITOS
- Only tool available to measure Pyramid Model practices in infant and toddler classrooms
- Classroom snapshot of adult behaviors and environment that support and promote social and emotional development
- Used in center-based settings caring for infants & toddlers (up to 36 months)
- Early Head Start, child care, early childhood special education classrooms
How the TPITOS is used
- Determine how teachers are implementing the Tier 1 Universal Practices of the Pyramid Model
- Provides individual and team feedback to reinforce teacher strengths
- Helps guide individual and team goal-setting to strengthen specific teaching competencies
- Informs coaching and professional development efforts
- Used as an ongoing coaching tool, not a one-time event
- Supplements other tools (ITERS, CLASS)
- Can be administered as a running TPITOS for focused observation
Who completes the TPITOS?
- Understands the Pyramid Model
- Has experience working in infant and toddler settings
- Has a solid understanding of infant-toddler Pyramid practices
- Has, at minimum, completed the Infant-Toddler Modules
- Conducted by trained observer-coach, mental health consultant, mentor teacher, supervisor, researcher
Comparing TPITOS and TPOT
How are they the same?
• Assess implementation of practices associated with Pyramid Model for promoting social-emotional development
• TPITOS: Infants & toddlers (0–3)
• TPOT: Preschool settings (2-5 years)How are they different?
• TPITOS: Observe one teacher at a time
• TPOT: Lead Teacher and other adults
• TPITOS: Assess practices within routines
• TPOT: Across all routines combined
Structure of the TPITOS
- Observation
- 2 hour classroom observation
- 15–20 minute teacher interview
- Red Flags
- Scores provided
- Item and Overall percent of practices implemented
- Percent of Red Flags scored “yes”
Products
- Manual
- Administration instructions
- Items and Indicator elaborations
- Red Flags
- Scoring guidance and criteria
- Scoring clarifications (“helpers”)
- Scoring Form
- Teacher information
- Items and Indicators
- Red Flags
- Interview worksheet
TPITOS Items
- 13 Observational and Interview Items
Sample: Teacher provides opportunities for communication and building relationships. - 2 – 9 Indicators under each Item
- Total of 78 Indicators
| INDICATOR | FREE PLAY | STRUCTURED GROUP | CARE ROUTINES | OUTDOORS | Y/N | NOTES | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBR1 | Teacher talks often to individual children. | ||||||
| CBR2 | Teacher joins in children's activities and follows the child's lead by matching the focus of his or her attention to the child's focus of attention. | ||||||
| CBR3 | Teacher comments on children's interests, activities, or actions. | ||||||
| CBR4 | Teacher imitates and/or expands upon children's vocalizations or imitates actions. | ||||||
| CBR5 | Teacher listens and responds to children's attempts to communicate. | ||||||
| CBR6 | Teacher encourages child communication, skills, behaviors, and activities through positive, descriptive statements. | ||||||
| CBR7 | Teacher provides opportunities for children to initiate social interactions and provides time throughout interactions for the child to take a turn or form a response. | ||||||
| CBR8 N/A | Teacher uses alternative strategies for communicating with children who have language delays or are DLLs. |
TPITOS Scoring Form
- Indicators are scored “yes,” “no,” or “not applicable”
- Items scored via observation or interview
| INDICATOR | FREE PLAY | STRUCTURED GROUP | CARE ROUTINES | OUTDOORS | Y/N | NOTES | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDC1NAA | Teacher's tone remains calm, supportive, and positive during children's distressful or challenging episodes. | Yes, No, or N/A | |||||
| RDC2NAA | Teacher immediately responds to children in distress to assess children's status. | ||||||
| RDC3NAA | Teacher provides positive attention to toddlers when they have calmed down and are behaving appropriately. | ||||||
| RDC4NAA | Teacher uses a challenging situation as an opportunity to help children recognize and deal with emotions. | ||||||
| RDC5NAA | Teacher provides support to toddlers who are angry or upset to help them with problem solving, when appropriate. | ||||||
| RDC6NAA | Teacher uses strategies such as redirection and/or planned ignoring with individual toddlers who are in distress or engage in occasional episodes of challenging behavior. | Obs. | |||||
| RDC7NAA | Teacher uses a variety of strategies to console, soothe, or calm children who are in distress and individualize responses according to children and situations. | Obs. | |||||
| YES TOTAL:NO TOTAL:Sum yes and no scores |
TPITOS Elaborations
- Elaborations are descriptions of each Indicator
- Definitions
- Scoring criteria
- Indicators that are appropriate for toddlers
- Whether “n/a” can be scored
TPITOS Routines
- Items 1-7 scored across routines
| INDICATOR | Y/N | NOTES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMD1 N/A | Teacher uses or reports using specific strategies or modifications to support the social-emotional development of children with disabilities/delays. | ||
| Interview Question:“Can you describe any specific strategies, modifications, activities, or materials you use with children with disabilities or delays to support social-emotional development?” | Obs. | ||
| SMD2 N/A | Teacher uses or reports using specific strategies or modifications to promote social-emotional development with children who are DLLs. | ||
| Interview Question:“Can you describe any specific strategies, modifications, activities, or materials you use with children who are DLLs to promote social-emotional development?” | Obs. |
Interview Worksheet
- 20 Indicators that can be scored via teacher interview are consolidated on an Interview Worksheet
- Ask “Observe/Interview” items only when they could not be scored via observation
- Interview is conducted immediately after the observation
| INTERVIEW WORKSHOP | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of interview: | Teacher name/ID: | |
| Program/Center name: | Observer name/ID: | |
| Classroom name: | ||
| Directors: The workshop lists all the items, instructions, and questions from the Teaching Physical Development Observation Stock that you present in the interview. You may not use any of them unless they are appropriate for an interview during the teacher interview as well as for classroom items that may be covered based on teacher reporting. |
TPITOS Item Scoring
- Indicators scored for each routine observed
- Overall Indicator score determined from routine scores
| INDICATOR | FREE PLAY | STRUCTURED GROUP | CARE ROUTINES | OUTDOORS | Y/N | NOTES | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBR1 | Teacher talks often to individual children. | Y | Y | N | Y | Indicators | |
| CBR2 | Teacher joins in children's activities and follows the child's lead by matching the focus of his or her attention to the child's focus of attention. | Y | N | N | N | ||
| CBR3 | Teacher comments on children's interests, activities, or actions. |
TPITOS Red Flags
- 11 Red Flags
- Samples: Teacher rarely speaks to and/or engages children.
- Children who are distressed are left unattended.
- Children disengaged
- Harsh talk
- Schedule
- Children generally unhappy
- Distressed children unattended
- Punitive practices
- Lack of materials, toys, activities
- Isolation
TPITOS Scoring Summary
Scoring Spreadsheet
- FREE!
- Teacher and aggregate tabs
- 10 Teacher & 40 Teacher versions
brookespublishing.com/tpitos-scoring-spreadsheet
Benefits of Using the TPITOS
- Ensures effective implementation of the PBIS-based Pyramid Model
- Supports professional development efforts
- Strengthens the practices of individual teachers, teams, and entire programs
- Monitors the success of quality improvement initiatives
- Builds a foundation for social-emotional competence in the critical first years of life
“An innovative and invaluable tool for teachers in infant–toddler settings to create a warm and responsive classroom environment and to improve children’s social-emotional skills.”
Jane Squires, Ph.D., Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences, University of Oregon
“The indicators of the TPITOS went a long way to forming clear, attainable, practice-based learning objectives. Teachers went from having a laundry list of goals that felt mysterious and unattainable, to having clear next steps. The TPITOS helps teachers build a common language among staff.”
-Pyramid Coach
Training
- Certification training highly recommended for observers
- Inter-rater Reliability Training
- Will be available through Brookes on Location
- Also provided each spring at the National Training Institute (NTI) on Effective Practices: Addressing Challenging Behaviors in St. Petersburg, FL